Tréla, a Greek Kitchen and Taverna, Has Launched a Kickstarter

Artist’s rendering of Tréla, a Greek taverna planned to open in NE Portland’s North Tabor neighborhood. Photo credit: Tréla

Back in March 2022 I wrote about Tréla, a Greek taverna planning to open on the southeast corner of NE Glisan and 60th Avenue (the former O’Neill Public House). For a long time they seemed—from an outsider’s view—dead in the water. But about a month ago, their social media woke up and they have continued to post there. Most recently they announced a Kickstarter, which at the time of the writing of this article, has raised a little over $800 with 36 more days to go.

The Kickstarter Campaign

More about their vision for the restaurant is revealed in this Kickstarter:

“Our mission is to bring traditional Greek cuisine, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, to the community of Northeast Portland. Our venue, located at NE 60th and Glisan in Portland, OR, will provide a cultural and culinary hub for all communities in the area. Tréla will serve as a welcoming space, offering a fusion of local ingredients, the charm of Portland, and the timeless flavors of Greece. We will prioritize sourcing fresh, locally grown ingredients. By doing so, we not only support local producers but also infuse our dishes with the unique flavors that define the regions of Greece and the Pacific Northwest.”

As you may (probably?) know, I lived for 11 years in a Greek-Cypriot immigrant neighborhood in NYC—Astoria, Queens. It was the norm to have access to high-quality Greek food, whether you were in a restaurant (Stamatis, Kyclades, Gregory’s, Ovelia—I love you all) or shopping for ingredients. (I miss you, Titan— and holy crap, changes are afoot!) I am eager to eat great Greek food in this town and I have a lot of hopes that Tréla can provide that.

What the Kickstarter Will Fund

So what is Tréla hoping for with this Kickstarter? Well, it will:

Support the final phases of the buildout—materials and labor have increased significantly over the past few years.
Preserve as much of the original building as possible while performing upgrades.
Improve infrastructure (electrical, plumbing).
Update kitchen appliances and tools.
Fund artwork, furniture and lighting in the space.
Showcase and honor Greek life in Portland through photographs, artifacts, and stories.

The People Behind Tréla

It is also interesting to read about the people behind the restaurant—Napoleon Tzakis, who created the Kickstarter, and his partners Anthony Tzakis, Emmett Fraser, and Jordan Johnson—all of Greek heritage and with experience in restaurants, and it sounds like they and their families have been in Portland for a while (“We were brought together by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Glisan Street”). And it sounds like they want to serve family recipes, which sounds good to me.

If you’d like to contribute to their Kickstarter, you can do that here. The campaign ends Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 12:30pm PDT.

Best of luck, guys, and I can’t wait to eat there when you open!

Trela Kitchen & Taverna [projected opening 2023]
6000 NE Glisan Street, Portland
trelagreekkitchen.com | Instagram

Updated January 29, 2024